Railway signal mechanism.



PATENTED DEC. 3-, 1907.'

J. S. PAYNE. RAILWAY SIGNAL MECHANISM.

APPLICATION FILED PEB.23, 1907.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

THE mamas PETERS 00., WASHINGTON, n. c.

PATENTED DEC. 3, 1907.

J. S. PAYNE.

RAILWAY SIGNAL MECHANISM.

APPLICATION FILED FEB. 23, 1907.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

PATENTED DEG. 3, 1907.

J. S. PAYNE.

RAILWAY SIGNAL MECHANISM;

APPLICATION FILED FER-23, 1907.

3 SHEETS-SHEBT 3 llllllll un II" was;

JOHN S. PAYNE, OF MULVANE, KANSAS.

RAILWAY SIGNAL IVIEOHANISM.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Dec. 3, 1907'.

Application filed February 23. 1907. Serial No. 358,851.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JOHN S. PAYNE, citizen of the United States, residing at Mulvane, in the county of Sumner and State of Kansas, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Railway Signal Mechanisms, of which the following is a specification.

This invention has for its object an improved construction of signal mechanism for electric or steam railways and is designed to be placed on a curve of the track or at cross ings or other junctions, or any place where a signal is needed to-warn the engine driver or motorman, the system extending from station to station or from tower to tower and adapted to be operated by compressed air under the control of operators at stations or towers.

The invention consists in certain constructions, arrangements'and combinations of the parts hereinafter described and claimed.

For a full understanding of the invention and the merits thereof and also to acquire a knowledge of the details of construction of the means for effecting the result, reference is to be had to the following description and accompanying drawings, in which:

Figure 1 is a side elevation of one embodiment of my improved signaling mechanism; Fig. 2 is a vertical sectional view of one of the signaling devices; Fig. 3 is a similar view with the parts in different positions; Fig. 4 is a detail perspective view of one. of the pistons and its stem; Fig. 5 is a detail perspective view illustrating a modification; Fig. 6

is a side elevation of the modification illustrated in Fig. 5, the parts being shown in different positions; Fig. 7 is a side elevation of another modification; Fig. 8 is a transverse sectional view on the line ac-x of Fig. 7 Fig. 9 is a perspective view of another modification and Fig. 10 is a transverse sectional view of a modification illustrated in Fig. 9.

Corresponding and like parts are referred to in the following description and indicated in all the views of the drawings by the same reference characters.

In one embodiment of my improved signal system, a pipe 1 is laid alongside of the track from station to station or from signal tower to signal tower, and said pipe is designed to contain compressed air received from a tank 2 or similar source of supply which may be located at any desired point and which may be in turn supplied by means of a pump 3 of any desired construction.

Within the length of piping 1 valves 4 and 5 are located, one of said valves being designed to admit the compressed air from the stora e tank 2 to the piping 1 to actuate the signa s and the other valve, 5, being designed to exhaust the air from the piping so as to reverse the signals or bring them back to their normal position. It is intended that these valves should be located within the signal towers or any desired point, so that they may be under complete control of the signal operator.

At desired points along the track, for instance, at the end of a block, or in advance of a crossing, signal stands 6 are located. Each of these stands supports an upright cylinder 7 which is connected to and communicates with the supply pipe-1 and which is provided atits upper end with an apertured screw cap or other cap 8 and below said cap with two spiral grooves or slots 9. A piston works within the cylinder 7 with its follower head 10 lowermost and the stem 1 1 of the iston is provided with two oppositely exten ing arms 12 working in the slots 9. The piston stemor rod 11 extends up through the aperture in the cap 8 and projects above the cylinder, the projecting end of the stem being preferably square. or otherwise polygonal in cross section, and having securely fitted thereon the reduced tubular upper end 13 of the sleeve-like hood 14. The hood 14 projects downwardly around the cylinder 7 so as to protect the slots 9 from sleet, snow, rain, or the like, and to the upper reduced end 13 of the hood, I rigidly secure the signal plate or board 15 which sets vertically or on edge, asclearly illustrated in the drawings.

When the compressed air is let into the piping 1, it is obvious that the piston within the cylinder 7 Wlll rise and at the same time, it will turn, owing to the slots 9 and arms 12, so as to lift the signal board 15 and at the same time turn it about a vertical axis, so as to bring its flat side (painted red or green) cross-wise of the track, to warn the engine driver or motorman. Upon the release of the compressed air or its exhaust by means of the valve 5, it IS obvious that the piston will sink and carry the signal board 15 downwardly and around again to its normal position lengthwise of the track.

In addition to the visual signals, it is my purpose to include in my improved signaling system a series of audible signals, one of which is located contiguous to each of the visual signals, so that they may supplement or be substituted for the visual signals in case of foggy or thick weather. I, therefore, mount a stand 16 contiguous to each visual signal or between every two visual signals, and upon the stand 16 a whistle 17 is mounted, said whistle being connected to a branch leading from the main piping 1 and containing a spring pressed valve 19: Hence, whenever desired, the air pressure may be increased to such an extent that the whistles will be sounded in addition to the actuation of the visual signals. It is to be understood that the hoods 14 may carry lanterns or boxes adapted to support lanterns as the equivalent of the signaling boards or plates 15 illustrated in the accompanying drawings.

In that embodiment of the invention illustrated in Fig. 9, 1 designates the sup ply pipe for the compressed air, 6 the signal stand, 7 the cylinder, 10 the piston, 11 the stem thereof, and 8 the apertured cap on the upper end of the cylinder 7 and through which the stem 11 is mounted to slide. In this modification or embodiment of the invention, an open-bottom box 20 is supported on the upper end of the stem 11 and two signal boards 21 are secured to the opposite sides of the cylinder 7 a at the upper end of the latter, said boards being painted red or green on their outer faces, as desired, while the outer sides of the box 20 are painted white. The boards 21 are stationary in this modification, while the box 20 is manifestly adapted to be raised, by means of the piston, so as to expose the boards 21 whenever it is desired to set the signal. In order to limit the upward movement of the box 21 with res ect to the signal boards, the former is provi ed at its ends with depending loops 22 adapted to engage the latter, as clearly indicated in the drawings.

In that form of the invention illustrated in Fig. 7, the box 20 is held in a stationary manner on the horizontally extending portion' 23 of the cylinder 7 and the piston 1O has its stem 11 projecting downwardly out of a downwardly extending upper end of the said cylinder. The signal board 21 is secured to the piston stem 11 so as to move upwardly within and downwardly out of the box 20 and in the preferred arrangement, the piston stem 11 is provided with an inverted U-shaped side extension 11 designed to receive the board 21 and by which said board is secured to the stem. A rod 24 is fulcrumed intermediate of its ends to the main portion of the cylinder 7 and is secured at one end to the piston 11 while the other end or arm of said rod carries a weight 25 which is mounted to slide longitudinally thereon and is held in different adjusted positions by means of a set screw 26. In the o eration of these parts, it will be understood t at when compressed air is admitted into the cylinder 7 the danger signal 21 will be moved downwardly out of the open box 21 and that upon the release or exhaust of the air, the weight 25 will carry the signal upwardly again within the box.

In that embodiment of the invention illustrated in Fig. 5, the box 20 is air tight and has secured around the edge of its open bottom, a flexible air tight bag 27, which, under normal conditions, is adapted to be pressed upwardly within the box by means of a weighted lever or rod 28 fulcrumed inter mediate of its ends to the cylinder 7. The box 20 is painted white, while the bag 27 is painted red or green, as desired, and it will be understood that as soon as the compressed air is admitted into the cylinder 7, the bag 27 will be inflated and bulged out of the box, so as to show the signal.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed as new is:

1. A signal mechanism, comprising piping, a source of supply of compressed air for said piping, an upright cylinder at a point in said piping, said cylinder being provided with one or more spiral grooves, a piston workin within the cylinder with its follower hea lowermost and provided with one or more arms working in said grooves, the upper end of the piston stem rojecting above the cylinder, and a signal plate mounted on the upper end of the piston stem.

2. A signal mechanism, comprising piping, an upri ht cylinder at a point 1n said piping, said cylinder being provided with one or more spiral grooves, a piston mounted in said cylinder with its follower head lowermost, the stem of said piston projecting upwardly through the cylinder and protruding above the same, a source of supply of compressed air for said cylinder below the follower head, a hood mounted on the protruding end of the piston stem and surroundin and inclosing the grooved portion of the cylinder, and a signal plate secured to said hood.

3. A signal mechanism, comprising piping, a source of supply of compressed air for said piping, an upright cylinder secured to said piping at a predetermined point, a box held on the upper end of said cylinder and provided with a downwardly facing opening, a piston mounted in said cylinder and movable downwardly therein .upon the admission of the compressed air in the cylinder, a signal plate secured to the piston stem and movable upwardly within the box and downwardly out of the same, and means for returning the piston to its uppermost position so as to conceal the board within the box upon the withdrawal of the compressed air.

4. A signal mechanism, comprising piping, a source of supply of compressed air for said piping, an upright cylinder secured to said piping at a predetermined point, a box held on the upper end of said cylinder and provided with a downwardly facing opening, a piston mounted in said cylinder and movable downwardly therein upon the admission of the compressed air in the cylinder, a signal plate secured to the piston stem and movableupwardly within the box and downwardly out of the same, and a rod fulcrumed intermediate of its ends on the cylinder and secured at one end to the piston, the other end of said rod being provided with a counterweight, as and for the purpose set forth.

5. A signal mechanism, comprising piping, a source of supply of compressed air for said piping, a cylinder connected to said piping at a predetermined point and projecting upwardly therefrom and provided with a downwardly extending upper end, a box held on said upper end of the cylinder and adapted to cover a signal, a signal arranged to move downwardly from the box upon the admission of compressed air into the cylinder, and a rod fulcrumed intermediate of its ends on said cylinder and provided at one end with a counterwei ht.

6. A signa mechanism, comprising a line of piping, a source of supply of compressed air therefor, an upright cylinder connected to said piping at a predetermined point, a signal p ate supported rigidly on said cylinder, a piston mounted in said cylinder, an open bottom box supported on the upper end of the piston stem and movable upwardly to expose the signal board upon admission of compressed air into the cylinder, and depending loops 22 projecting downwardly from the box and adapted to engage the signal board to limit the upward movement of the box.

In testimony whereof I afiix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

JOHN S. PAYNE. [L.s.]

Witnesses:

GEORGE HOWARD, GHAs. F. TURNER. 

